Do we have to state the obvious? The offensive line and the overall blocking on offense has to get better. Tulane doesn’t have free agency. It can’t put the young linemen in an incubator and grow them up at super speeds. But the unit can improve and it must for the running game to put up at least double-digits in rushing yards this week. Protecting the passer becomes all the more important as well because Tulane is one quarterback away from putting a walk-on passer who has never played in a college game on the field. All the other players at offensive positions will have to chip in as well. “We have to do a better job of run blocking and we have to do a better job of looking the ball in and running more precise routes,” receiver Wilson Van Hooser said. “We have to get open quicker so we have a lot to fix for our game but we also have a lot of confidence because we know we’re getting close. We’re not there yet, but yet is the key word.”

The Darkwa factor

Tulane might get its best running back on the field for Saturday’s game and this is good and not just for the lethargic run game. Orleans Darkwa, a junior, can also spice up the pass game. He has good hands, can catch screen passes and longer passes as well. He will bring another dimension to the offense. The question is how much he will be able to play coming off a high-ankle sprain. He doesn’t have the same game conditioning the other running backs have and his ankle has to continue to rebound practice-to-practice and game-to-game. But he could make a big difference Saturday. “I think Darkwa is our best back,” Coach Curtis Johnson said.

Turn over a new leaf

The Tulane defense could help the offense with a big turnover – one that ends in the end zone, preferably for Tulane fans. Cornerback Ryan Travis is the only player who has an interception this season and that came in the Green Wave’s first game. The secondary has looked good all week preparing defensive back-heavy packages in light of the Kolton Browning threat at ULM quarterback this week. A key turnover for the defense could help charge the squad as a whole.